King refusing to acknowledge te Kooti's presence or eat with him. Church growth and Te Kooti's death In 1883 the government pardoned Te Kooti on the condition he refrained from warlike activities. During this time, his personal popularity and following in Ringatū continued to grow. It was at this time that from his base in Te Kuiti much of the Ringatū lore was first written by scribes appointed by Te Kooti and the movement was named "Ringatū". Te Kooti took the opportunity to travel extensively around the North Island preaching as far north as the Hokianga. Wherever he went he was closely observed by the government to ensure he remained peaceful. In later life, Te Kooti left the King Country sanctuary with a group of followers, mainly women, and headed for his East Coast home where he was still highly unpopular. The New Zealand army was called out and he was arrested at Waioeka Pā near Opotiki and jailed in Auckland for a brief time as he was unable to pay a fine for breaching the peace. On his release, the government gave him some land at te Wainui near Kutarere. While there he was killed in a cart accident. The Church today In 1926, Robert (Rapata) Biddle, a Minister and Secretary of this faith, designed the Ringatū seal (crest). The seal consists of the Old and New Testament in the centre, surrounded by the words Te Ture a te Ātua Me te Whakapono Ō Ihu, meaning "The Law of God and the Faith of Jesus". There are also two upraised hands, one on either side of the inner design, and an eagle perched atop the centre ring in reference to the Book of Deuteronomy 32:11-12, where the eagle is compared to God. Ringatū services are generally held in tribal meeting houses, and the church leaders include a Poutikanga and a tohunga, an expert in church law. Church members read and memorise scripture, chants and hymns. The 2006 New Zealand census recorded 16,000 members of the Ringatū Church, with a third of them located in the Bay of Plenty. In 2014, after a thirty year vacancy, the Church appointed Wirangi Pera as the amorangi (spiritual leader) of the church. See also Season of the Jew (a historical novel that refers to the history of the Ringatū) References Christian denominations in New Zealand Indigenous Christianity Māori organisations Māori religion